Research in Motion and Best Buy have jointly announced the release date and …

Share this story

Research in Motion used a press release this morning to announce that the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is officially available for pre-orders starting today, with a launch on April 19. The WiFi versions of the PlayBook will be priced at $499, $599, and $699 for 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB, respectively.

The announcement is a joint production between RIM and Best Buy, the only retail outlet tapped to carry the tablet so far. The Wifi PlayBook will also be available in Canada on April 19 in Best Buy and Future Shop stores.

The PlayBook keeps pace with the recently announced iPad 2 in at least a couple of measures: its dual-core processor and support for 1080p video playback. The PlayBook has a 7" screen and a unique active bezel that allows a user to bring up sets of controls by swiping fingers from just off the screen. We found the tablet a little rough the last time we crossed paths, but we reserve judgement for the final product.

No dates or prices have been announced for the Sprint 4G version of the PlayBook, which we first learned about at CES in January. But if you're fed up with getting behind long lines at 4am at your local Apple Store, the PlayBook may soon let you strike a blow at all that is Steve Jobs.

Share this story

Casey Johnston
Casey Johnston is the former Culture Editor at Ars Technica, and now does the occasional freelance story. She graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Applied Physics. Twitter@caseyjohnston